The start of December has brought colder weather and with it a series of more disturbed weather patterns.

There's some fine winter weather locally when we venture out on busy days before Christmas, both locally and on a west coast walk. 

However a winter surprise was in store for the Southern Lakes area, sadly one not repeated north of Dunmail Raise.

The last day of November started with a predicted fine day

so I headed over  to Loweswater after an early breakfast, to catch a view and possibly some nice reflections.

Looking across to Carling Knott and Burnbank, seen above Holme Woods on the other side of the slightly rippled lake.

Beautiful morning light and looking to my right, to the head of the lake and the farm at Hudson Place.

Look carefully and you can see the setting moon just above the tree line.

This was the evening light on the same day when the evening sun turned the summit of Grasmoor a fine shade of orange.

- - - o o o - - -

December 1st we headed west to see friends

and decided to walk the dogs at Longlands Lake, Cleater Moor, for a change.

This is an old and once very important iron ore mine area, one which included large smelting works as well as classic underground mining.

The lake was formed after the collapse of the old, disused mines and is now a nature reserve.

The bridge over the River Ehen which allows access to the lake from the Longlands Reserve car park.

We in fact parked a short way away today and extended the walk with a short riverside stroll from Cleator.

There's plenty of waterfowl around today, including this large flock of Mallard ducks.

There are several viewing platforms (or fishing spots ?) around the perimeter of the lake.

This one next to a picnic area had handrails and its own perched sea gulls.

Me-thinks they might be hungry and expect all visitors to bring bird food.

Why else would they rush over and follow us as we walked the lakeshore path.

From the platform , looking immediately down on one of the beautiful swans as they passed by.

The afternoon sunshine adds a yellow glow to their feathers

and the water so clear you can see their feet paddling away.

The path heads away from the water's edge and the un-fed ducks loose interest in us.

As a result of the shade of the adjacent woodland the southern jetties are still frost covered.

No problem for two adventurous dogs with claws like crampons.

My footprints don't venture far out on the wooden boards.

In the distance two hopeful ducks are heading our way once again !

Where the winter sun doesn't shine the shallow edge to the lake has iced over ever so slightly.

Old stonework is all that remains of the heavy engineering that once used to be a part of this historic industrial scene.

The iron of West Cumberland made the area one of the most important steel-producing regions of England and for a short time, the world.

A final view of the lake from the western side as we walk along possibly an old railway embankment which separated the lake from the river.

- - - o o o - - -

December is the time to think about Christmas decorations . . .

. . . so I added a slightly subdued set of winter lights to the outside of the cottage.

I hope it brings a touch of happiness to those that pass on a cold winter's night.

- - - o o o - - -

Talking of cold winter nights, December 3rd brough a surprise snow storm to Cumbria.

This was the pub at Torver, courtesy of the BBC Weatherman if I remember rightly

[ Full marks to the photographer, whoever he or she was.]

Peter Burgess sent me two photos he took in Staverley the following morning.

" It's bin a snowy night ! "

Lots of family and friends contacted us to see if we were alright in the bad weather . . .

However the snow blew in on a south westerly wind and was all spent by the time it reached north of Dunmail Rise. 

We were in a snow (rain)shadow tucked in behind and with the protection of the higher central fells.

Whiteside and Grasmoor seen over the local chainsaw-sculptured letter box.

The early afternoon sun was just catching the tops of the fells, which were covered in a fresh but thin layer of new snow.

Crossing Park Beck where it is constrained by concrete walls and directed out towards Crummock Water.

The boathouse in Lanthwaite Woods is looking cold and lonely.

It hasn't been used since the warm, heady days of last summer.

Finally a view up Crummock Water from the large pine tree down by the weir.

The Buttermere fells are layered with white above a thousand feet,

but there's as much frost as snow up there in the northern half of Cumbria today.